Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Barton College outfielders Phillip Cotten and Avery Harper combined for nine RBI in a Southeast Region doubleheader split against Tusculum College on Wednesday afternoon at Nixon Field.
The Bulldogs (6-13 Overall) won the first game 9-5 and the Pioneers (14-8) took the second game 6-4. Tusculum – ranked eighth in the current NCBWA Southeast Region Poll and receiving votes in the current Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Coaches' National Poll – started the year 5-5 but has gone 9-3 over its last 12 games.
Barton next hosts Philadelphia University for a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday starting at Noon.
GAME ONE: Barton 9, Tusculum 5
Cotten drove in five runs and hit his first collegiate home run to help Barton snap a five-game losing streak by winning the opener by four runs. Cotten's three-run blast in the sixth inning put the hosts in front and sophomore reliever Ches Lamm kept Tusculum off the scoreboard for the final three innings to earn his first win in a Royal Blue and White uniform.
The Bulldogs led 1-0 and 4-3 early but the Pioneers rallied both times. Senior Phillip Williams poked a single into left field that scored junior Dillon Rudio in the first inning for the contest's first run. Tusculum answered with three runs in the top of the third to take its first lead highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of sophomore Jalen Shuffler.
Harper and Cotten sparked Barton's next rally in the bottom of the fourth. Harper knocked in the Bulldogs second run with a single and then scored on a two-run double by Cotten that put the hosts in front 4-3. The Pioneers fought back with two more runs in the top of the sixth on a solo home run by senior Matt Henriksen and an RBI-single by classmate Joe Polichetti. Henriksen leads TC with six home runs on the season.
Barton regained the lead for a third and final time in the home half of the sixth. Junior Collins Cuthrell and senior Clay Martin set up the rally with singles before Cotten – a righty from Fuquay-Varina, N.C. – took advantage of a strong wind to right field by tagging a three-run, opposite field blast. Cotten's cannon lifted BC to a 7-5 lead.
The Bulldogs added two more insurance runs in the eighth. Harper launching a no-doubt long ball to the left field yard to lead off before a bases loaded wild pitch allowed Cotten to cross home plate one more time later in the frame.
Cotten was 3-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored. Harper, who has two homers on the campaign, was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Cuthrell, Martin and sophomore Spiers Miller also had two hits as Barton outhit the Pioneers 13-11.
Lamm (1-0) allowed just one earned run over four innings for his first win at Barton after transferring from Louisburg Community College. Lamm only gave up three singles and he induced a game-ending double play.
Senior Tripper Crisson led the visitors going 4-for-4 with a walk. Junior reliever T.J. Miller took the loss allowing five runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings including the go-ahead homer to Cotten.
GAME TWO: Tusculum 6, Barton 4
Senior preseason All-American Cade Stallings drove in three Tusculum runs and MLB Prospect closer John-Austin Sheperd wiggled out of several tight situations for his fourth save of the season as the Pioneers salvaged a split of the twin bill with a two-run win the nightcap.
Barton trailed 5-2 before rallying to within one by scoring two unlikely runs with Shepard on the mound in the fifth but the 6-foot-4 right-handed hurler ended the frame with a strikeout before tossing two more scoreless innings to finish off the game.
The Bulldogs rally featured Cuthrell knocking in an inherit runner with a single to left and Harper trimming the score to 5-4 with an RBI-single to center.
Harper – a sophomore right fielder from Wilson, N.C. – matched his first games output once again going 2-for-4 and two RBI. Sophomore Mitchell Wheeler had three of the Bulldogs 10 hits with three singles.
Sophomore Devin Dellinger provided Barton with the initial 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when he punched an RBI-double just out of the reach of the diving left fielder. Tusculum answered with two runs in the top of the third but a deep double to the right field gap by Harper tied the scoreboard at 2-2 in the home half.
The Pioneers pulled out to the three-run advantage in the top of the fourth on an RBI-groundout by Crisson and a two-run single by Stallings. Another single by Stallings in the sixth plated a Tusculum insurance run. Crisson finished the day 5-for-7 with two walks.
Freshman Zach Slagle (1-0) was credited with the win in his first collegiate start and appearance for TC. Slagle's debut included four strikeouts in four innings. Shepard fanned three more Bulldogs over the final three frames.
A one-out double by Cotten in the sixth and a leadoff single by Wheeler in the seventh gave the Bulldogs a couple late chances to knot the score but Shepard survived both scares without any more damage.
Barton senior starter Christian Oliver (2-3) slipped under .500 on the year after allowing five earned runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings to start the seven-inning game.
